1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to the field of graphics within a computer, and more specifically to graphics subsystem design for use with a computer system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Graphics and video are important components in systems, such as computer systems and handheld systems. Typical displays in such systems have a landscape orientation (width longer than length). However, typical systems internally use a portrait orientation (length longer than width) for purposes of internal representation of the display system.
Traditionally, this has resulted in translation of addresses used to access the graphics and/or video subsystems by the processor and software. This requires use of scarce system resources to adjust the internal display representation of one part of of the system (the processor and operating system) to work with the display representation used by the graphics and video subsystems.
Furthermore, 3D graphics already requires some address or coordinate translation within the graphics subsystem, as 3D graphics and 3D engines use a coordinate system which is different from that used by the rest of the graphics and video subsystems.
What may be valuable is a method and apparatus which can alleviate the burden on the processor and operating system of the system without interfering with legacy software which assumes the internal portrait orientation of display representation.